For those of you that like the Mint interface and tools, but want to move away from the Ubuntu based Mint main editions, this makes a refreshing change and means you’re not stuck with some of the stange decisions the Ubuntu team are making of late.

LMDE is a rolling release, meaning you wont ever have to reinstall the system. New versions of software and updates are continuously brought to you.

﻿According to the Linux Mint Blog, “It’s faster and more responsive than Ubuntu-based editions… and although it’s using Romeo for unstable packages, LMDE continuously changes as it receives updates and new software. Compared to a frozen version of Linux Mint which changes very little once it’s publicly released, it’s not as stable. Things are likely to break more often but fixes can also come quicker. For this reason, LMDE requires a deeper knowledge and experience with Linux, dpkg and APT”

In brief

Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) is a rolling distribution based on Debian Testing.

At the moment, it comes as a 32-bit live DVD with a Gnome desktop.

The purpose of LMDE is to look identical to the main edition and to provide the same functionality while using Debian as a base.

Linux Mint admit it is a little rough around the edges at present, but it will improve continuously and rapidly, so make sure you check the “Known Problems” page for information before installing.